'Penguin Pride' Campaign Launched

Subject: SocietyCountry: Great BritainCategory: Project

From Oscar Wilde to Radclyffe Hall, from Armistead Maupin to Stephen Fry and Allen Ginsberg – the literary contributions of bisexual or homosexual writers have been immense. And Penguin Random House UK is recognizing their contribution this summer with the Penguin Pride campaign as part of the publishing group's efforts to make the British publishing world a little more diverse by 2020.

Penguin Random House UK CEO Tom Weldon said: "We are celebrating the authors and books that have had an enormous influence within the gay community and beyond over the years - books that have inspired, educated, and comforted; books that have the power to change lives. I hope our Penguin Pride campaign will introduce readers to voices they may not have heard before, and perhaps even inspire a new generation of brilliant LGBTQ writers."

Booksellers take part in the campaign

Throughout the month of June, Penguin Random House UK will curate and showcase the seminal books from LGBTQ authors that have inspired, informed and supported readers over the years – on its website and various social channels.

As part of the online campaign, authors like Andrew McMillan and Matthew Todd will publish new and exclusive content from their literary work - from their own essays on sexuality and the gender debate to lists of their favorite books by homosexual authors.

Other writers, Colm Toibin and Ali Smith, for example, will share specific extracts from books with their readers and users that have positively helped to change the attitude of society towards gays and lesbians: such as "Giovanni's Room" or "How to be Both." Via the social networks Twitter and Instagram and on YouTube, Penguin Random House UK is inviting users to get involved in the campaign and debate, but also keeps interspersing this with new contributions to the discussions, for example, from YouTuber Alex Bertie or Stonewall CEO Ruth Hunt.

Independent bookshops across the U.K. will be taking part in the campaign, thus ensuring that it is transferred from the virtual domain to the real world. And finally on Jun 25, Penguin Random House will participate in the London Pride march and distribute bookmarks to onlookers.